Monday Morning Check-In: Dealing…

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Monday Morning Check-In

Good Monday morning everyone.  Not a lot of reading or blogging went on last week and the aftermath of losing my best friend still continues to plague me.  In case you didn’t read my last post I woke up to find my cat Tilla had an embolism early Tuesday morning and we had to put her to sleep. Tilla was my favorite and the loss hit me quite hard especially since I was still recovering from re-homing my horse.  It took me four days to even pick up a book again and I decided to set aside my current review book and read a tried and true author.  The review book doesn’t come out until Nov 1st and with the current state of my emotional state I didn’t feel it was fair to review something for a publisher right now.

I’m feeling better but still not myself.  Today I am going to just indulge myself and do what ever the mood takes me.  I have two peacocks going to a new home, good thing, and this blog post to accomplish and that is it.  No wait I have a book talk at my library but that isn’t until this afternoon.  I might read, I might paint my nails, I might just play with kittens and watch tv.  The goal is de-stressing because the trauma has been manifesting physically in the form of panic attacks.

I know this is probably TMI but I might not get many reviews posted over the next couple weeks and I thought I should share why.  I need to find some world to get lost in and forget my pain but I’m not sure what I’m in the mood for now. I’m going to stick to favorite authors and nothing too heavy and hope that my reading interest picks up.  I have been listening to audio books as I fall asleep, non-fiction mainly, and that seems to help keep my head clear.  The only problem is I fall asleep and have to keep going back and re-listening to what I missed…

I hope you all have a great week and I will try to get a Top Ten Tuesday for you all tomorrow.  Happy Reading…

Today I lost someone I loved.

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*This is going to be a non-bookish post.

Today I lost someone I loved.  Someone that came the closest I will ever have to an actual child.  Someone that was my best friend.  I woke to find my cat Attilla, Tilla for short, paralyzed from the waist down.  I knew it wasn’t good.  Called the vet and then made my husband drive us because I knew I wouldn’t be safe to operate a vehicle.  Arrived at the vet and of course it wasn’t good news.  She had a heart condition, a coronary thrombosis broke loose early this morning and she had an embolism.  As he explained all that had happen to my baby I knew it meant one thing.  Today I lose my best friend.  I interrupted him and said “I have to put her down don’t I.”  “It would be best” he replied, “She was in a tremendous amount of pain and there would be little or no recovering.” I scooped her up and clung to her as they made preparations. Sign the paperwork, no I want to take her home, I don’t need a box and I will remain in the room.  I sent my husband out to pay the bill and held my girl as they took her from me. Carried her home and buried her in the pasture where she loved to hunt.  I haven’t stopped crying since.

I’m sitting here in shock because it was so sudden.  I need to processes this fast because life goes on.  It isn’t fair to the animals that remain to suffer while I mourn.  I still need to go to work and next week I am going to my  college’s homecoming, its my classes honor year celebration 20 years.  I sit here typing this with kittens on my lap because I don’t want to be alone, yet I don’t want to be around people.  I know she was a cat, and I have lost many before and there will be plenty to come.  Tilla was special.  Tilla was my favorite.  She truly was my best friend.  The one being on this planet that I know loved me above all others.  My cuddle kitty, who always went to sleep curled up under my arm.  She would insist.  Pawing at me if I didn’t let her in, under the covers of course.  I dread tonight when I go to sleep alone…  I’ve known many pets and loved them all in some way or another but every once in a while there is a special bond.  That one soul that connects with you on a deeper level.  The ones that can’t be replaced.  Today I lost someone who I had that special bond with and it broke my heart.  I will eventually be able to function again but I will never get over Tilla.

She has been in my life since she was four weeks old.  My brother brought her and her two siblings, only her sister remains, to come be barn cats after their mother was killed by a car.  I raised them and when her sister was hit by a car and had her leg in a cast I moved them both into the house (I had already lost their brother) and they became house cats.  Tilla chose me.   I didn’t stand a chance, she wormed her way into my heart and today she took a piece of it with her.

So today I say good-bye and know I did the right thing.  It wasn’t easy or fair, but it was compassionate.  I found the strength to say good-bye instead of holding on for selfish reasons out of love.  She is not in pain.  She is free.  I will move on all the while crying at everything that reminds me of her.  I will let love in again I can’t help it, even if it means more days like this in my future.  Because this is one painful day and all the days of joy she brought me so vastly out-weigh it in the end.  Love is worth the price.

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ARC Immortal Nights by Lynsay Sands

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Book Review

 


Immortal Nights (Argeneau, #24)Book Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Book Series: Argeneau #24

Released: 9/20/16 by Avon

Pages: 384  Price: $7.99 Paperback

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

 

Book Synopsis:

In a sizzling new Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, an impulsive rescue pairs a sexy immortal with the woman made to be his for eternity.

Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival…a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.

Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night…

My Review:

While I adore this series, there will always be books I LOVE and few I dislike (like one so far) and some I feel ambivalent about.  This is one of the latter.  It isn’t that I didn’t enjoy reading this piece of the Argeneau world it just wasn’t my favorite.  Still devoured it in a day, doesn’t that make you feel like a total bad-ass, but I just couldn’t connect with Tomasso and Abigail. Sorry.  Still glad I read it and will be picking up my own copy to keep once it hits the shelves. To complete my collection!

So what was up with this book?  What didn’t work for me.  I’m thinking it might be a case of I should have read something else between the last vampire book and this vampire book.  The two series I read were vastly different from one another.  One dark and heavy and this one light and fun.  Both are styles of stories I enjoy but I might have enjoyed this one better if I had read a sci-fi in between.  Live and learn, I guess.  The insta-romance really stuck out to me and while I accept it in this premise I wish their coming together had a little more foreplay.  The first half of the book just didn’t gel with me but the second half picked up quite a bit and I loved the ending.  I really think it was just I didn’t care for Tomasso and Abigail because once the other characters joined the story I became more invested.

This one takes place over the same time-frame as the last two books and we are still dealing with this mystery doctor that is kidnapping Immortals.  We learn quite a bit more about his plans and even get to meet him at the end of this book.  I am intrigued about this story line and hope we get to the meat of this plot in the next book.  We also have a new human, Jet, added to the world and who will probably be one of Marguerite’s new match-making victims soon. I missed her in this book and look forward to her return.

Bottom line I’m glad I read this book.  Was it my favorite in the series, no.  Still enjoyable and if you are a fan of the series I would not skip it as you will miss a vital piece of the puzzle with this kidnapping plot.  If you are new to this world, please, give it a try! This series is a lot of fun and quick reads that will definitely keep you entertained.  I would start at the beginning though and with this being book 24 you will have lots of enjoyable reading hours ahead of you as you follow the sometimes outrageous plots and the more suspenseful ones that make up the Argeneau series.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Monday Morning Check-In: In a funk…

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Monday Morning Check-In

Happy Monday everyone.  I am a little late today because I was a busy little bee this morning and got some chores done that I’ve been putting off since I entered this gave-away-my-horse-now-I’m-sad funk.  I spent most of my time feeling guilty for not working with her and for her not having a horse buddy that it was well past time to find her a new home and when this ideal situation presented itself to me I gave her away after owning her for 16 years.  I bought her when she was two months old and used to spend a lot of time with her and then we moved to a farm and I got older and busier and even a little intimidated by her… Anyway, it is done. It was the right decision and I will get over it eventually.  Hopefully soon.

On the reading front not a lot done.  Hubby and I went thrifting two days in a row and then listed items to eBay so I was busy. Did make some progress on my audio book but I think after this one if there aren’t any more available to borrow audio wise I might give up the series.  Just not that excited about it.  Of course that could be my current mood as I’m not that excited about much.  Tonight there are two tv shows I want to watch and I have been playing with my kittens, who moved to their new home on the porch this morning.  Need to decide which two will be living in the house and who will be put up for adoption soon.  They are seven weeks old today and so sweet, but rambunctious and a little hard on the home library…

Well I hope you all have a great week, happy reading.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Urban Fantasy

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Top Ten Tuesday

Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.  This week they ask us to share lists on the following:

September 13: Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Books Of X Genre

Well yuck. How is one supposed to pick all time favorites… It isn’t so much that it will be difficult to limit to ten it is that our tastes change all the time.  When I was young I LOVED Stephen King, now I think he is an ass and I don’t enjoy his books.  Even younger you would find me reading anything about horses I could get my hands on. More recently I enjoyed YA fiction and now you have to force me to crack open one of those titles.  We change, our tastes change with our moods therefore picking favorites is only going to be a small snapshot of what I enjoy currently in my life.  So I’m going to need some more perimeters.

  • Only one book from any author.
  • No picking an entire series, must be my favorite book in that series at this moment.
  • Only titles that received five stars
  • Must pick one genre: Urban Fantasy

 

Ten books I love in the urban fantasy genre.

  1. The Curse of Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson, #10) I know, I know this was the last book published (recently) how can it be your absolute favorite. I might not be but I do love this series.  Ms. Jones is probably my second favorite author after Kenyon and this book was one of the best I read this year.  The series felt like it was taking a turn for a couple of books but this one brought the series back to feeling like it did in the beginning.  If you’ve given up on the series I highly suggest giving this book a try to see if you can’t fall in love again.
  2. Dance with the Devil (Dark-Hunter #3) This is one author where I’m kicking myself for the self-imposed rules listed above.  It has been a while since I read this series and there are so many books to pick from.  This is Zarek’s story though and it is where we get a first taste for the torment that Kenyon puts her hero’s through.  This was the first one in this series that I absolutely loved.
  3. Blood Assassin (The Sentinels, #2) This is fairly young series but I am so in love with it.  Been a while since reading and if it wasn’t for my reviews I wouldn’t have documented evidence that this one was my favorite.  So I’ll take myself at my work and pick this one from Ms. Ivy, who also has a paranormal urban fantasy series that was enjoyable, but this one is better.
  4. Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, #4) Took me four books to become sold on this world.  Once I was this book then promptly ripped my heart out and stomped it into the dirt.  Made me a loyal fan and I am so sad the last book comes out this year.
  5. Shadows Strike (Immortal Guardians, #6)  I feel like this is an underappreciated urban fantasy author.  Her world building and characters are top-notch though and this one was the first five-star review she earned from me. Go give this world a try!
  6. Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4) Okay this one was tough to add to the list.  I am not a fan of how this series ended.  So much that I broke up with the author and vow never to read another of her books.  Up until about book ten though I loved this series.  This book is the one where Eric lost his memory and it remains one of my favorites.
  7. Once Burned (Night Prince, #1) Love this author and her different series.  She in best known for her Night Huntress world which is amazing, but I kind of like this one better.  This is the spin-off series featuring the big bad-ass Vlad.  So yummy.
  8. Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3) I had a tough time remembering  which of these books were my favorite.  This is Zadist’s story and I think it was the first one I really loved.  I know I like other characters more than him, but this was an amazing book.
  9. Vincent (Vampires in America, #8) Another lesser known urban fantasy writer that I discovered since blogging.  Her world is great full of tough alpha males and the woman who drive them crazy. It is a complex world though that keeps getting better.  I do believe Vincent is my favorite so far but that might be tied with Christian’s story.  I have a tough time deciding…
  10. Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega, #2) This is the spin-off series from the Mercy Thompson world and it is another instance where I enjoy the spin-off more than the original, although both are great!

Alright there you have my favorite urban fantasy books of the moment.  Have a different author or series that I should try next?  Share in the comments!

 

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 30!!!

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Day 30: Your favorite book of all time*.

The Martian

Goodreads Link, Blog Review

Really, favorite book of all time and I pick The Martian, something I only read three years ago… Really?  Yes, really.  Okay, let me explain why there is a little * up there.  This is my favorite book of all time for this moment in my life.  If I had to pick a book to recommend to any reader without knowing their taste or previous reading history I would pick The Martian.  If I had to pick one book to save from my library for the rest of my life, okay I would still pick my Kenyon collection but I would so sneak this title into the mix.  You know that Dark-Hunter story set on Mars.  I am so grateful for this blog as it was through a review request with Blogging for Books that I was introduced to this title.  I knew nothing about it and was simply blown away.  I have not read a review title since that has affected me in the same way.  Oh sure, I’ve enjoyed a lot of the review titles that I’ve read while book blogging but none of them has impressed me as much as this title and this author.  I am desperately waiting for his next book and have added him to my author-met bucket list.  This is a great book, an okay movie, and a fun audio book.  I know I pimp it a lot on this blog and for that reason alone it is (currently) my favorite book of all time.

Well, we made it!  30 Day Book Challenge complete.  I hope you enjoyed this little trip into my reading life for the past 30 days.  It was interesting and I’m glad I did it. Not sure I will be doing this sort of thing regularly, but a challenge is good for you every now and again.

Does the 30 Day Book Challenge sound like fun to you?  Why not join me!  Below is the graphic I borrowed off the internet, feel free to borrow it from me.  I will be posting pictures of the books I select each day to my Instagram account too.  Be sure to follow me over there to see my picture for today’s selection.

30daybookchallenge

 

Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh

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Book Review

 


archangelsconsortBook Genre:Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Book Series: Guild Hunters #3

Released: 1/25/2011 by Berkley Sensations

Pages:324  Price: $7.99 Paperback

Links:  Goodreads, Author’s Site

Source: I borrowed a copy of this book from my library.

 

 

Book Synopsis:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders. The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…

My Review:

I had been zipping right along in this series and then about half-way through this one I started struggling.  I’m not sure what it was, because I still enjoy the characters and want to know what happens next, but I just wasn’t excited about it.  I think it might have something to do with some personal drama that I am working through.  I haven’t felt like doing much of anything.  So I am going to take a break from this series for a few books and come back to it when my head is in a better place.

I did enjoy this one though.  It was interesting to watch both Elena and Raphael deal with parental issues in this book.  One has mommy issues the other daddy.  Personally I think neither parent are real winners but for now I like Raphael’s mother more than Elena’s father.  I still want Raphael to smite him something awful, he so has it coming.  I’m unsure what to think of the mother.  I want to cling to the hope that she is redeemable but I don’t think we will learn of her fate for several books.  As to Elena’s father and step-family…  I actually liked the step-mother and believe that Elena will find comradery in her younger sister.  Her dad is just going to be an ass, not much anyone can do about him beyond hitting him with angel fire.

It is still entertaining to watch Elena adjust to this new life and I truly think these two were meant for each other.  They make each other stronger and Raphael is really starting to grow on me.  There is so many little plot threads that I want to explore and know the outcome for right now dammit.  I want to spend more time with the guild hunters, get to the bottom of Elena’s family issues.  I want to know more about the characters in Raphael’s seven.  Just so much to love and explore in this world that it pains me to set it aside for now.  But I am… My mood is just not in the right place to truly enjoy this series so I am going to save it.  Rest assured though I will be back for more.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Monday Morning Check-In: Review Requests

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Monday Morning Check-In

Good Monday morning everyone!  Another weekend has come and gone and I got diddly squat reading done.  I did go all over town on Saturday in an epic search for a new purse I love that costs less than $50…. Came home empty-handed.  I’m picky.  I did scored big on cheap books while thrifting though!  24 new titles, two complete series, have been added to my new bookcase.  I don’t know when I’ll ever get to them but that’s the beauty of books they don’t go bad.

Alright, now to the topic of the title.  I have been receiving some review requests again, I swear there is a season to these things, and as result I have updated my review requests page and policy.  Not that any of you will read it but the info is there.  I would like to point out because it has been showing up in most of the requests.  I DO NOT post review to Amazon.  Yes, I have an account there and yes, I did post a review there just last week.  There is currently only one author I will post review to Amazon for and it probably isn’t you.  I’m not trying to be mean.  It is a case of one difficult author ruined it for everyone combined with Amazon review policies that I am against.  Authors are welcome to link to my reviews here or quote the review on their site, but I am not going to post my review to Amazon.  I also might turn a book down for review if it is only offered through Amazon, a practice that I believe is unfair to readers.  If this means you don’t want to request I review your book I’m fine with that.  I currently have over 200 books up in my bedroom waiting for their turn to be read, I’ll be alright.  I do cross-post my reviews to Goodreads and Barnes and Noble (when I remember).  The blog posts are shared with my Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter account too.  I feel this is plenty of coverage for the books I review this is a hobby for me after all.

Alright I feel the tone of that was kind of snarky but I am going to leave it.  It is frustrating to get review requests from authors who don’t read my policy.  I even have it listed on my Amazon account that I no longer post reviews there and I still get requests from authors who contact me from simply seeing an old review over there.  I do have to say though most of the recent requests are at least for books relevant to my current reading taste, so that is getting better.

Okay I hope to finish a book today and I need to get my 30 day book challenge Instagram post made.  Day 29 so I’m almost done!  Happy Reading everyone.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 29

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Day 29: A book everyone hated but you liked

The Here and Now

Goodreads Link, Blog Review

Usually I am hating a popular book that everyone seems to love but the book pictured above is one that is actually reversed.  I was totally surprised when I went through the reviews on Goodreads after finishing this book they aren’t pretty and some even quite rude.  I liked this book.  I thought it had a good message as to how climate change is going to affect our environment in ways we can’t even to understand.  This is an important concept that more readers of YA level literature need to hear about and it seemed like everyone was hung up on the failed romance in the book.  That’s fine though, not every book is for every reader but in the end you still need to share your opinion about what you read in a polite and helpful manner. When I see reviews like some that were posted  for this book I lose respect for the reviewer not the title they are trashing.

Does the 30 Day Book Challenge sound like fun to you?  Why not join me!  Below is the graphic I borrowed off the internet, feel free to borrow it from me.  I will be posting pictures of the books I select each day to my Instagram account too.  Be sure to follow me over there to see my picture for today’s selection.

30daybookchallenge

 

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 28

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Day 28: Favorite title.

F*ck That: An Honest Meditation

Goodreads Link, Blog Review

Alright now like covers I’m usually not that hung up on clever titles.  I rather an author spend their creative energy in the actual plot of the book, but, this one is a title that I delight in.  Its funny and still makes me smile when I think about this creative little parody of a new-age meditation guide.  The book is beautiful to boot and if you ever come across this one pick it up for a look.  It is so short that you won’t need to spend the cash to actually buy it, as I think it was a little overpriced, but it would make a nice gift if you know someone who will gel with the humor.  Almost enjoy this as much as the spine label in adult fiction by authors with the last name Young.  Think on that one a bit.

Does the 30 Day Book Challenge sound like fun to you?  Why not join me!  Below is the graphic I borrowed off the internet, feel free to borrow it from me.  I will be posting pictures of the books I select each day to my Instagram account too.  Be sure to follow me over there to see my picture for today’s selection.

30daybookchallenge